The Industrial Revolution, 1700– 1900 Previewing Main Ideas

Clarifying
Why did imperialism
grow out of
industrialization?
The Impact of Industrialization
The Industrial Revolution shifted the world balance of power.
It increased competition between industrialized nations and
poverty in less-developed nations.
Rise of Global Inequality Industrialization widened the
wealth gap between industrialized and nonindustrialized countries,
even while it strengthened their economic ties. To keep
factories running and workers fed, industrialized countries
required a steady supply of raw materials from less-developed
lands. In turn, industrialized countries viewed poor countries
as markets for their manufactured products.
Britain led in exploiting its overseas colonies for resources
and markets. Soon other European countries, the United
States, Russia, and Japan followed Britain’s lead, seizing colonies for their economic
resources. Imperialism, the policy of extending one country’s rule over
many other lands, gave even more power and wealth to these already wealthy
nations. Imperialism was born out of the cycle of industrialization, the need for
resources to supply the factories of Europe, and the development of new markets
around the world. (See Chapter 27.)
Transformation of Society Between 1700 and 1900, revolutions in agriculture,
production, transportation, and communication changed the lives of people in
Western Europe and the United States. Industrialization gave Europe tremendous
economic power. In contrast, the economies of Asia and Africa were still based on
agriculture and small workshops. Industrialization revolutionized every aspect of
society, from daily life to life expectancy. Despite the hardships early urban workers
suffered, population, health, and wealth eventually rose dramatically in all
industrialized countries. The development of a middle class created great opportunities
for education and democratic participation. Greater democratic participation,
in turn, fueled a powerful movement for social reform.
SECTION 3 ASSESSMENT
TERMS & NAMES 1. For each term or name, write a sentence explaining its significance.
• stock • corporation
USING YOUR NOTES
2. Which development had the
most impact in the United
States? in continental Europe?
United States
both
Europe
MAIN IDEAS
3. What early industries
mechanized in the United
States?
4. Why did Belgium lead Europe
in adopting industrialization?
5. How did the Industrial
Revolution shift the world
balance of power?
INTERNET ACTIVITY
Use the Internet to research the economy of a less-developed nation
in either Asia, Africa, or South America. Create a database of economic
statistics for that country.
CRITICAL THINKING & WRITING
6. RECOGNIZING BIAS Go back to the quote from Lucy
Larcom on page 730. Do you think her feelings about
working in the mill are typical? Why or why not?
7. MAKING INFERENCES Why was Britain unable to keep
industrial secrets away from other nations?
8. FORMING AND SUPPORTING OPINIONS What was the
most significant effect of the Industrial Revolution?
9. WRITING ACTIVITY EMPIRE BUILDING Draw a political
cartoon that could have been used by the British government
to show their sense of their own superiority over
nonindustrialized nations that they planned to colonize.
INTERNET KEYWORD
country profiles
▲ The Crystal
Palace Exposition
in London in 1851
(shown above)
celebrated the
“works of industry
of all nations.”
The Industrial Revolution 733